


Bloom

by bang-the-smoke (708_things)



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Angst, F/F, F/M, Stage Gay, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22578211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/708_things/pseuds/bang-the-smoke
Summary: Ino and Sakura are in a rock band together. Every concert, Sakura sings the love song Ino wrote about her, and every night, Ino loses more and more of her hope that they can bloom.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura/Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29





	Bloom

**Author's Note:**

> yoo i've been stuck on this for a while, but i figured i would finish it up. sadly, i asked a random picker online if this should end with angst or end happily, and it chose angst.   
> might write the happier alternative version.

The show started as many of them do, with Sakura welcoming their guests with a speech about what their first song is about. “This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt wronged!” she exclaimed, excitement in her voice as the first notes of _Midnight Fights_.

Ino began playing her instrument, the bass, faintly smiling as she heard fans chant the lyrics with Sakura as it began. It was always amazing to hear them sing along, to hear them feel the way that they felt. While it’s true that most of their songs are written by one band member, many of their experiences are similar. That makes it so practically every song is meaningful to all of them.

“ _And I don’t regret any of our midnight fights! I don’t regret storming out each night!”_

Ino looked around at her fellow bandmates, seeing their energy flow into the performance. She had always loved having _Midnight Fights_ as the opener; it’s ferocity made everyone hyped up. She exchanged a smile with Hinata, before looking down to focus on playing.

A couple of songs passed by, until it landed on the familiar one that always managed to make her stomach twist. Sakura turned her head to look at her and winked. _Bloom_ was a popular song within their band’s fandom, being hailed as an LGBTQ anthem. Their belief wasn’t exactly wrong; Ino had written _Bloom_ about her love for a woman, which had been unexpected at the time of it’s release. Now, Ino’s openly queer, bringing her closer to her fans.

_Bloom_ ’s made her feel weird. It’s not about the song, but rather how it’s performed now. After the song’s release, their manager had suggested a bit of stage gay. Neither her or Sakura had felt uncomfortable with it, because most of it was just playful rather than outright flirtatious.

Fans cheered as the song started, and Ino prepared herself for the small moment that would happen around the chorus. It’s not always the same, what with Sakura’s creative imagination and knack for playing gay. Ino felt rather than saw Sakura approach. She could feel her heart beating fast.

“Her and I, we could bloom,” Sakura sang, with a softer tone. The chorus, in particular, stood out because it was quieter than the other parts, full of emotion. One of Sakura’s hands left her guitar to cup her chin, and both of them leaned in, as if they were about to share a kiss.

Ino could hear fans screaming, excited by their act. “Bloom like the spark in my heart,” Sakura continued on, as if unaffected, which she probably was.

The few minutes of this song were torturous to Ino. It was difficult to hear the woman she loved sing the words written about her. Sakura didn’t think they could bloom, and that was the tragic part of it all.

After the song’s over, she felt like she could breathe again. Temari sent her a sympathetic look, being the only one she’s told about her feelings for Sakura. Of course, she’s probably not the only one who knows; Ino’s never been exactly secretive.

At the end of the show, they’re all panting and Sakura’s telling the audience thanks on behalf of their band, _Misguided_. And then it’s over, with the usual emotions hitting them all at once.

“I’m so tired,” Temari sighed, to which Hinata nodded.

“Yeah. I can’t wait to get back to the van so I can sleep,” Hinata commented.

Ino felt exhausted, but not tired. She wasn’t sure if she should even attempt to sleep, because she knew her mind was going to keep her up all night with memories of _Bloom_. She thought about how Sakura was so close, yet so far away. On their way over to the van, Sakura was oddly silent. Normally, Ino would confront her to see if she was fine, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to face her right now.

Every time they placed _Bloom_ in one of their concerts, Ino was afraid her real feelings would become obvious to her. She feared that she might accidentally lose herself in their act, their stage gay. And then how would she react?

Either way, Ino didn’t want to be in that position. So, she didn’t ask what was up with Sakura, instead trying to focus on herself. When they made it to the van, they put up their instruments. “Hey, can I talk to you?” Temari asked, placing a hand on Ino’s shoulder.

“Sure,” Ino smiled. “What’s up?”

Temari threw a glance over her shoulder, directed towards Sakura, who was going through her stuff. “Not here,” she said. “Outside, please.”  
  


Ino nodded, and followed her out. Once they were alone, Temari started talking. “I’ve been noticing you’ve been… really uncomfortable with _Bloom_.”

“Temari,” she sighed. Both of them obviously know why, what with the song being written about Sakura.

“No, I’m serious,” Temari said. “We probably can’t move it off the setlist, but… If you told our manager you didn’t want to do the extra part---”

“Our manager doesn’t care how I feel,” Ino interrupted. “It’s my fault for agreeing to it in the first place.”

“If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s Sakura’s,” Temari disagreed. “She’s the one who suggested it.”

“I know,” she sighed. “It’s just… sometimes, it’s a bit too much for me.”

The drummer nodded. “I see what you mean,” she said. “But I still think you should try talking with our manager.”

Ino shifted awkwardly, still unsure. “I can try,” she agreed. “Um, thanks for talking about this with me. I’m not sure who else I could turn to.”

“It’s not a problem, Ino,” Temari smiled. “Let’s go back in.” Ino nodded, and the two went back into the van.

“Oh, there you guys are!” Sakura called. She had changed from her stage clothes to a comfortable dress. “I’m about to head out, so I wanted to tell you guys bye.”

“Where are you going?” Ino questioned. Sakura doesn’t really wear dresses that often, so she figured it was a party or something.

Sakura confirmed her thoughts, telling her about a party nearby a friend had told her about. “Don’t wait up, guys,” she grinned, before leaving.

After her departure, Hinata sighed loudly. “So, we all agree that was bullshit?”

Ino was never one to assume people were lying unless there was strong evidence, so she shook her head. “She could be telling the truth.”

Temari turned to her and asked, “Really? I mean, I can’t imagine actually being in the partying mood after a concert.”

Ino bit her lip. “Yeah, I guess not.”

Though the three women agreed that Sakura was probably lying, they didn’t really think much more about it. She probably was seeing a friend, at the very least.

It wasn’t a big deal, she thought to herself.

\---

The next day, they didn’t have a concert. They did have to head over to the area of the concert for the following day, but it was a short break. Temari was driving the van, with Hinata searching for things they could do in the area.

“Ino, can I talk to you about something?” Sakura asked her. Ino was relieved that her other bandmates were away. Temari and Hinata were in the front, and she could hear them talking. If both of them were quiet, they could have a moment of privacy.

“Of course,” she replied. “You always can.”

“I just feel like you’re going to be disappointed in me, though.” Sakura sighed. She looked upset with herself.

Sakura normally had good judgment, especially with how she feels, so she said, “I’ll try not to be harsh.” She was attempting to be comforting.

“I wasn’t at a party last night,” Sakura explained, which she already knew. The next part, however, was shocking. “I was with Sasuke last night.”

Sasuke was her ex-boyfriend, the subject of many _Misguided_ songs. The two had a terrible relationship, mainly due to Sasuke just being a toxic guy. Ino had only met him a handful of times, so most of her knowledge of him just came from him hurting her friend. Sasuke was manipulative and didn’t care for her, even going as far as to cheat on her. To hear her say she was with him last night hurt.

“Why?” Ino asked, trying to remain calm.

“I don’t know,” Sakura said, avoiding her gaze. She fiddled with her hands nervously as she added, “He just happened to be in the area, and I guess I just can’t say no to him.”

Ino was indeed disappointed in her, but there was no point in taking that out on her. “What do you want me to say?”

She looked up at her, sadness in her green eyes. “Remind me why it was a mistake.”

It was easy to do that. There was plenty of material for her to pick, as Ino knew their songs were an easy way to remind her of why she stayed away from him in the first place. “You don’t regret your midnight fights,” she said. “You don’t regret storming out.”

“Why don’t I?”

Instead of pulling out lyrics, she said, “He was a piece of trash. You deserve better.”

“Sometimes, I don’t think I want better,” Sakura confessed. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

And wouldn’t Ino know? She sighed, unsure how to argue against that one. If she knew how to fight against what the heart wants, then she wouldn’t be still pining after Sakura. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I guess this is just going to be something you have to work through. But just know, the way he treated you wasn’t right, and somebody else will come around one day and show you that.”

Ino just wished she could be the one to show her that. She realized that it was never going to be her, that they were never going to bloom. It was painful, but she needed to get this through to herself. There’s no use in allowing herself to still be in love with Sakura, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

“Yeah…”

After that, the two of them were almost silent as the van drove closer and closer to their destination.

\---

Ino thought that she had convinced Sakura to stop hanging around Sasuke. She really thought that was it. In the following weeks after their talk, Sakura was acting suspiciously. She was distant from them, and when confronted, she had even yelled at Temari. That wasn’t something that happened often, so it was shocking to all of them.

And then there was her disappearances. When they didn’t have to perform and they didn’t have to go to any interviews, they had free time. Normally, the band members like to spend that time together, considering how close they are. The first time Sakura blew them off, Ino just thought she wanted some space. It happened repeatedly, but Ino didn’t think much of it until she was confronted with the reality of it through Instagram.

A fan of the band posted a picture, revealing Sakura and a man. Sakura was in the middle of talking, her mouth open and her eyes focused on the man beside her. She seemed to be radiant, with the sun illuminating her pink hair. But Ino was more concerned with the outfit, because it was the same outfit she had worn to one of their concerts, meaning right after, she had met with Sasuke. This was a whole different occasion, too. They’d had a heart-to-heart about Sasuke, and yet she had still ran off to be with him.

The fan had speculated about the man in the caption, as Sakura and Sasuke didn’t go public with their relationship, when their relationship was relevant.

In the picture, Sasuke looked uninterested. He was barely even looking at her, though they were obviously in conversation. He wasn’t even smiling, but it’s not like Ino expected that. Ino had never seen him smile.

Ino felt betrayed. She couldn’t believe Sakura could be so stupid to even still associate with him! Besides that, she couldn’t believe that she would give him another chance when Ino herself couldn’t even get one. She’s not entitled to one, but knowing that an asshole like Sasuke could hurt her over and over without losing his chance made her blood boil.

She dropped the phone in her hands, wondering how she was going to keep her cool. The rest of the girls were planning to go to the hotel’s pool. Ino had been excited about it, but she wasn’t sure how she felt now, especially with the fact that Sakura miraculously decided to join them this time.

Once she found herself in the pool, she felt her anger get the better of her. A bit further in the pool, Temari was talking to Hinata and Sakura. Ino couldn’t really focus on that, staring at Sakura. “Ino, what’s up?” she asked, frowning in concern. “You don’t seem very relaxed…”

“How can I be relaxed when I’m staring in the face of a liar?” Ino bitterly retorted.

Sakura chuckled nervously, shifting her gaze elsewhere. “What are you talking about?”  
  


“I saw the picture, you know. Of you and Sasuke,” Ino snarled. Her voice was getting louder and louder, and she knew that the others would hear this. She just couldn’t care. “But I just don’t get it! Why tell me you regretted meeting up with him if you were just going to do it again?”

“Why does anyone do anything, Ino?” Sakura fumed. She swam closer to her, looking close to her and adding, “I really don’t think it’s any of your business.”

“My business?!” Ino clenched her fist. “You make it my business! Besides, is it so hard to imagine I want the best for you?”

“It really is, because I know. I know it’s more than that.”

With those words, Ino froze. The color left her face as she stared at Sakura with fear. Did she really know the truth? Hinata and Temari swam over to them in an attempt to stop their argument. And though Sakura didn’t explain further, she knew that her secret wasn’t really a secret. It only begged the question of how long Sakura knew she was in love with her.

It was over. Ino couldn’t exactly come back from that, as she couldn’t deny she was more personally upset by the situation because of her love for Sakura.

Ino knew there was nothing to be done other than to just wallow in her own misery.

\---

“Why exactly do you want to quit the routine for _Bloom_?” Their manager inquired. They were in a quick meeting of sorts before another concert.

“I’m just not comfortable with it,” Ino admitted quietly. She clutched the strap to her bass nervously, knowing this was really just a shot in the dark. She couldn’t really imagine their manager easily allowing them to stop the stage gay, since the fans loved it so much.

“Sakura,” their manager turned to address her, “do you feel the same way?”

“Yes,” she answered. “I’ve got a boyfriend again, so I really don’t need people thinking I’m gay.” She rolled her eyes.

Ino pretended like hearing that didn’t hurt. Obviously she was grateful that she wasn’t going to torture her for the way she feels, but it didn’t make her feel much happier. “That too,” she spoke up.

It took a couple minutes for their manager to get used to it, but she agreed that there was no point in doing it if neither of them were willing. “It’s still on the setlist, though,” she declared. “There’s no changing that.”

And that was the cruelty of writing songs about personal matters. Every concert, Ino would have to hear Sakura sing her words of love. She used to comfort herself in the knowledge that Sakura was unaware of it’s real meaning, but that had been stripped away from her.

That night, they go through the first few songs normally. _Bloom_ quickly makes its appearance, and Ino could tell the fans are confused when her and Sakura don’t even turn to look at each other. They wait on bated breath, expecting most of it to happen during the chorus. With the chorus comes the soft tone of Sakura’s voice, but something’s immediately wrong. “Him and I, we could bloom,” she sang.

Him and I. And Sakura continued to change some of the lyrics, changed the lyrics that had been subtly about her and changed them to describe Sasuke. Ino couldn’t believe it. The song she had written was becoming a mockery. A mockery.

Ino knew she had to calm herself down to be able to keep up the performance, so she made her way over to Temari, who was pounding away at the drums. When the song ended, there was a brief pause where Temari patted her shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

Ino nodded. She isn’t exactly as quiet about her frustrations once the concert’s over and they’re back in the van. “I can’t believe you did that,” Ino hissed, facing Sakura, who had just crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t see why it’s such a big deal,” Sakura shrugged.

“You ruined my song. You took it and just changed it, as if it meant nothing. You turned an LGBT song into just another song about your stupid boyfriend.”  
  


“What?” Sakura chuckled lowly. “Was I just supposed to keep singing your stupid little song about me?”

“Maybe not,” Ino conceded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Her voice is weak and cracked as she added, “But you didn’t have to be so... cruel.”

Maybe nothing will ever be the same again. She can see the end, see how this will change the band’s dynamic until it eventually leads to the band breaking up. She can see their paths split, and she wants to be angry. But how can she be angry when it’s nobody’s fault but her own?

There was never a chance for them to bloom, and it’s insane that it took her this long to realize. 


End file.
